How we raise our kittens:

• As soon as I know a cat is pregnant, she is placed in a maternity suite to keep her and the unborn kittens safe and so I can monitor her food and water intake as well as her litter box habits. She is also given extra vitamins to ensure her health and the health of her kittens.
• When delivery time draws near, the mother cat is moved into my bedroom and placed in a birthing suite on a table next to my bed. I am home-bound for the next 2 weeks and she is never out of my sight for more than one hour. She is also closely watched on a baby monitor whenever I leave the room. I wake up every 2 hours during the night to check on her until she goes into labor.
• When the kittens are born, they stay in the birthing suite with their mother for the first few days until I know they are all nursing and gaining weight.
• Once I'm confident that they are gaining the proper amount of weight every day, the kittens and their mother are moved downstairs to the living room and into a large kitten suite. This room is kept dimly lit and quiet so the mother feels secure knowing her kittens are safe and so she can get some much needed rest.
• When the kittens are 3 weeks old, they are out of the birthing box and exploring their area.
• At 4 weeks old, the kittens start to use the litter box, explore the possibility of eating solid food, and are drinking water.
• At 5 weeks old, kittens are fairly proficient at using the litter box, eating solid food, using a scratching post, and are getting very active, so they moved into a large secured area on the floor of the living room. This is usually when they also get their first bath and have their picture taken.
• Time passes quickly and by the time the kittens are 9 weeks old, they have had several baths, are used to being blown dry, having their nails trimmed, and their faces washed. Now it's time for their first core vaccination.
• As the kittens grow, they are allowed full use of the room with an occasional supervised run of the house, and are taught how to safely go up and down the stairs. They are also allowed to interact with several adult female cats other than their mother to learn proper kitty etiquette.
• By the time kittens are 12 weeks old, they are well socialized to people and other cats and are ready to go to their new home. They receive their second of three core vaccinations, are proficient at using the litter box, a scratching post, and are eating dry food. Their third and final vaccination is done by their family veterinarian.
• Kittens are weighed at birth and every day until they go to their new home. The daily weigh-in is a good time for a general wellness check and learning to sit still for grooming and nail trimming.